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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22677463">A Shift in Perspective</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nour386/pseuds/Nour386'>Nour386</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Gravity Falls</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Body Horror, Gen, Implied Fiddauthor, Shifty is their child</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 18:40:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,412</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22677463</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nour386/pseuds/Nour386</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Stanford is looking forward to completing another long day of cryptid based research. However, when he discovers that his alien son, Shifty, has gotten themselves into some trouble, his plans are thrown aside as he works to help them out of trouble.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fiddleford H. McGucket/Ford Pines</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Shift in Perspective</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowMercury/gifts">SnowMercury</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>a belated Secret Santa Gift, which I apologise for. Marley, from the WWTD Discord server, wanted some Shifty content, and I sprinkled in  a bit of pre-portal fiddauthor to match another one of your prompts. However the main focus is taking care of Shifty with a pair of caring parents. I hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Stanford?" Fiddleford's voice, tinged with worry, echoed through the house.</p>
<p> "What is it?" Stanford asked. His assistant's voice ringing out in concern was a rather common occurrence. The southern engineer was easily made uncomfortable by the various creatures that made their home in the woods of Gravity falls. And given that gnomes or swarms of mosquito-like fairies would often sneak into the house, Ford found himself having to calm Fiddleford down.</p>
<p>As such, Stanford was in no rush to see what Fiddleford sounded so worried about. 'Probably another gnome trying to steal leftovers,' he thought to himself.</p>
<p>"If you could hurry it would be greatly appreciated!” Fiddleford cried, urgency colouring his voice.</p>
<p>"I'll be there in a moment." Stanford rolled his eyes. <em> I </em> <em>f the gnomes have come after our leftovers again, I’m probably going to have to install some wards. Perhaps something that Hand Witch in the mountains can help with. Speaking of, what did we have left over from lunch?</em></p>
<p>However, when he finally walked into the living room, thoughts of lunch exited his mind. Fiddleford stood before him, a panicked look on his face as he stared at a tangled mess of flesh and bones.</p>
<p>The creature had three arms, no elbow bent in the same direction. It stood on 4 thin insect-like legs, two brown, one pink, and the last utterly transparent, revealing brittle-looking bone beneath. Its face was a mangled mess of eyes, and a half-shaved muzzle. Teeth twisted and poked out of its cheeks. Its eyes searched the room in fear. As its chest rose and fell, its skin was sucked into the gaps of its ribs in a way that made Stanford’s stomach twist. Each breath looked as though it would knock it over from the effort.</p>
<p>"Fiddleford, what is that?" Stanford demanded.</p>
<p>"That, my dear Stanford, is Shifty." Fiddleford's voice was laced with panic. "You’d have known if you didn't dawdle."</p>
<p>"I thought it was just a gnome, or a fairy, or something mundane," Stanford defended. "What happened?"</p>
<p>"We were practising his shape shifts. I was using some pictures for reference to help ‘em go from beast to object to people, but then something went wrong. They tried to impress me with a clever transformation, but I think they might have overwhelmed their transformation gland. One moment they turned into me when I was in middle school, and the next they turned into that."  Fiddleford gulped.</p>
<p>"Obviously the first thing we need to do is keep calm." Stanford said, putting a hand on Fiddleford's shoulder.</p>
<p> "Calming me down ain't gonna help too much, Stanford," Fiddleford said.</p>
<p>"Seeing you panic is only going to make them panic even more. We need to keep calm so that they can see that things will work out," Stanford said.</p>
<p>Shifty let out a painful wheeze.</p>
<p>"You didn't have them turn into an ooze-spewing beast did you?" Stanford asked.</p>
<p>"Not indoors," Fiddleford affirmed Stanford.</p>
<p>"Right, right, good. Okay. Now, Shifty, can you hear me?" Stanford walked over to the mangled mess of his alien son.</p>
<p>Shifty nodded their head weakly.</p>
<p>"Good. Tell me, can you remember what you were trying to shift into?"</p>
<p>Shifty opened their muzzle, but only a gurgling sound came out.</p>
<p>“Er, I see.” Stanford grimaced.</p>
<p>Fiddleford knelt next to terrified alien.“Please Shifty, let’s try shifting back to your original form. Can ya try shifting back into me?”</p>
<p>Shifty let out a garbled noise as their multiple arms trembled. They heaved and struggled to shift their form. A moment passed. Their arms swelled and they stood there briefly, then their thin legs gave out. </p>
<p>Fiddleford dove to catch Shifty before they hit the ground.  </p>
<p>“Shifty! Are ya alright?” Fiddleford asked. </p>
<p>Shifty let out a garbled sob. </p>
<p>“Oh darling...” Fiddleford gently wrapped his arms around them. “We’ll figure something out.”</p>
<p>Stanford stared at the pair owlishly, his mind reaching back to an incident of his youth, running around carefree on the beach. His twin, Stan, too full of confidence and sugar, had gotten it into his stubborn head that it would be an excellent idea to climb over the monkey bars. Unfortunately, he had forgotten his paralyzing fear of heights. As such, Stanford had stood under the beach play equipment, trying to calmly explain a way for the boy to get down. But Stan’s white-knuckle grip and fear had stopped him from listening to reason. It was not until Stanford’s older brother, Shermie, gave more direct instructions that they found a solution. It was painfully slow, but Stan soon remembered his route up through muscle memory and could make his way back down. </p>
<p>Inspiration twinkled in his eye as Stanford stepped forward. “Shifty, can you try shifting into Fiddleford once more?”</p>
<p>The alien gave a pained look that was only compounded by the mismatched eyes dotting their face.</p>
<p>“This time, let’s take it step by step. Just like the first time you transformed into me.” Stanford pointed at his leg. “Can you try turning your legs back first? Nice and easy, no need to rush. Just take a deep breath and focus on your leg.”</p>
<p>Shifty tried their best to breathe deeply while trying to change their legs back to human ones. Their body trembled, once, twice, then their four legs turned into goop.</p>
<p>“Yes! Shifty, darlin’, you’re doin’ it!” Fiddleford cheered.</p>
<p>Shifty gave out a painful sob as they tried to combine the four goopy limbs into 2 human looking legs. But no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t form the limbs properly.</p>
<p> Stanford spoke calmly.“Shifty, remember, one at a time. Right, then left, just like walking.”</p>
<p>Closing their eyes, Shifty tried to return to their young Fiddleford form once more. This time their right most goopy leg began to tremble. Stanford and Fiddleford could see the bones form beneath the goop, starting with a thigh bone, then a shin, and lastly a solid foot. Stanford would have loved to make detailed notes about how Shifty formed the skeletons of his transformations, but the wellbeing of Shifty was of greater priority. The solid foot bone broke down into five separate bones that reached out to make the toes of the foot. Soon red and white muscles wrapped around the bones.  Lastly the skin surrounding the leg turned a light tone.</p>
<p>“Shifty, that was incredible!” Fiddleford hugged the alien tightly.</p>
<p>In no time at all, Shifty formed a second leg. Then their torso began to shrink, extra arms absorbing into their chest until they were left with only two. The many eyes that covered their face closed and sealed themselves behind eye lids that disappeared into their head, all except for a pair of baby-blue eyes. Their snout and the many mangled teeth pulled back until only a simple pair of lips remained. Long, flowing, sandy blond hair fell down their shoulders onto the dirty overalls that Shifty had formed onto their body. Finally, a fully-formed young Fiddleford stood in the middle of the room. </p>
<p>Shifty jumped to their feet. “I did it! I did it!” They copied Fiddleford’s southern twang as they spoke.</p>
<p>“You did!” Fiddleford jumped up as well. The pair clasped hands and began dancing a merry jig in the middle of the room.</p>
<p>Stanford sat on the ground and took several deep breaths. “Oh thank Tesla that’s over.”</p>
<p>Fiddleford stopped dancing, letting Shifty continue on his own. “So may I ask why you are the one who’s out of breath?”</p>
<p>“I may not wear my heart on my sleeve like you do, Fiddleford, but walking into a room with my boyfriend panicking and my Shifty looking mangled can give a man emotional distress.” Stanford pinched the bridge of his nose. “I think we should have some further research completed on Shifty and their transformations.” </p>
<p>Fiddleford nodded. “I have a feeling their abilities are limited right now due to their age.” </p>
<p>Shifty teased, “Next time I want to spook Pa I’ll just turn into something from your journal.”</p>
<p>“Shifty, you know my journal is off limits,” Stanford warned.</p>
<p>Fiddleford offered Stanford his hand. “Hey now daring, no need to be such a sourpuss. I think today’s success calls for a celebration.”</p>
<p>“Lunch!” Shifty threw his hands up in the air happily.</p>
<p>“Perhaps a break for lunch would be good.” Stanford took Fiddleford’s hand and stood up. </p>
<p>“Does this mean I can order from the kid’s menu?” Shifty gave a gap-toothed smile.</p>
<p>“Of course you can,” Fiddleford smiled. “Of course you can.”</p>
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